Last week, we were lucky enough to sponsor Women Lawyers and Mother’s London breakfast seminar, “they said she couldn’t, so she did” event, at the Slater and Gordon’s Chancery Lane office.
Attended by a cross-section of over 30 female solicitors, the panel was home to some incredible speakers, including Hannah Beko, a former residential property lawyer, and now a life coach/strategist and founder of Authentically Speaking; Caroline Flanagan, an inspirational speaker, powerful coach, author and business owner and Yasmin Sheikh, a former lawyer and founder of Diverse Matters, a consultancy in diversity issues that specialises in disability/health conditions (both visible and non-visible) in the workplace.
The morning was jam-packed with valuable insight and advice from career-driven women who have experienced their own challenges and conflicts in their various roles. Below, we have summarised some of the key takeaways to share with you.
“Be more of a meerkat and less of an ostrich.”
A summary of how to handle the unknown from Caroline Flanagan. Author of How to Babyproof Your Career, she explained that often as women, we know challenges are on the horizon, and we can plan for the known unknown. “We know what those changes look like, we are just unsure of how they’re going to play out. So, like a meerkat, keep your head above the parapet, plan ahead and be on the lookout for changes”.
“Short term discomfort over long term resentment.”
Yasmin Sheikh, Founder of Diverse Matters, a coach, trainer and inspirational TEDx speaker, spoke of the importance of being authentic to yourself when overcoming challenges and increasing resilience. Yasmin spoke with passion about the importance of being true to yourself because being genuine allows you to believe in yourself, which translates as confidence to others.
Having a difficult conversation is not pleasant for anyone but dealing with conflict quickly to stop it developing from uncomfortable to resentful is key for a happy and unified working environment.
“Define what success and balance means to YOU.”
Everyone has a different benchmark for success. For one, it may be a promotion to partner before their 40th birthday, for another it could be being trusted to handle a complex and detailed case. Hannah Beko clarified that defining your own standards is key for your own happiness because only you know what it means. And if you know what you’re aiming for, it is much easier to establish your route to get there.
The event was kindly hosted by Slater & Gordon, and we heard from two incredible female solicitors in their employment team, who had some great tips on finding a balance between personal and professional commitments and how to handle a busy career with a busy life.
Women Lawyers and Mothers was founded by Cynthia Jakes as a non-profit network that supports, inspires and empowers mothers in the legal industry, and to create a community for women lawyers and mothers that supports them in both their career progression and handling the everyday experiences of life as a working mother in law. You can find out more about the organisation here.
And if you’re struggling to find a balance – LR Legal are trusted recruiters, working across London and the South East to place legal professionals in their ideal roles.
Get in touch with the team for a confidential chat about your next career move.